An aquarium is one type of aquatic environment that has long been popular both in homes and offices for displaying a wide variation of aquatic life. In general, an aquarium tends to be susceptible to contamination by parasites and other microorganisms which are harmful to the aquatic life, particularly fish. Chemical additives that act as parasiticidal agents are available to address the problems created by the accumulation of harmful contaminants and microorganisms. However, these chemical agents tend to have a disruptive effect on the aquatic environment, often to the detriment of the flora and fauna within the aquarium.
One approach to avoiding the issues associated with using harmful chemical agents entails removing the aquatic life from an aquarium and completely replacing all of the water. This solution is less than satisfactory since many of the contaminants and microorganisms are carried over into the new water supply with the returned aquatic life. The harmful microorganisms again multiply forcing a subsequent water change. In addition, water changes can inflict unnecessary risks upon the aquatic life through changes in pH levels, water temperature and general water chemistry.
Another approach utilizes water treatment systems to treat the water in an aquarium. Typically, these water treatment systems require the attachment of unsightly components in full view on the side of the aquarium. Also, water treatment systems that sterilize water generally treat the water exterior to the aquarium for purposes of avoiding safety hazards associated with the relatively high voltages involved in powering a sterilizer assembly. This requires additional tubing, plumbing or other conduits to draw water from the aquarium into the sterilizer assembly for sterilization, which decreases efficiency. These additional components also increase both manufacturing and maintenance costs with operating an aquarium, as well as necessitate the need for additional space beyond the room required for the aquarium. In addition, leaks or overflow of water are likely to occur due to the external configuration of these components, which can lead to damage of furniture and other objects that are in the vicinity of the aquarium.